It's that time of year again, and I've got the travel bug! The adventures will begin with the whole family in Vietnam and Cambodia. After my dad flies home, my ma, sister, and I will explore the beaches of Thailand. Then, my sister and I are let loose to roam Southeast Asia heading towards Nepal and northern India. Mid April I fly to Zambia to volunteer for a month at Appeased School before starting work in San Francisco. Ready or not, HERE I COME!

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

You travel to see things, to broaden your
horizon, and to experience different cultures. Even when you explore and engulf
yourself in a new country, you still cannot see everything. There is so much
tragedy that is overlooked or put behind closed doors. In Nepal, women are
still struggling for their rights. The government does not see them as
citizens. Therefore, they cannot pass land to their children, they cannot give
their children citizenship, and sometimes they cannot even eat dinner at the
same table as their husband and elders. People live in villages with no running
water, no hospitals, and since the young men have left to find work, no
farmers. Still today, people die from common diarrhea or infections that simple
antibiotics could cure. The saddest part of all, Suzie and I have been in the
country for 5 days now, and we wouldn't know about any of this if it weren't for
a local women we met on the rafting trip. The government tries to hide it
because it’s not the most optimal advertising for tourists. Very few tourist
actually know what is happening in this country.

All of this knowledge makes
me want to do something to help, but all this knowledge also makes me wonder if
I can even help. I'm only one person and the problems are so big. Programs can
be implemented and money can be donated, but nothing will change unless you
make the people sustainable. You have to teach villagers skills that they can
continue to use. Teach them how to sow instead of giving clothes. Teach them
how to farm instead of giving food. For long term change, the government must
also change. For that to occur, I don't know if I have any influence. Though,
the key is to start small and with enough small things, you create something
big. Change the people in order to change the governing. Most of all, a little
luck is often needed to get the ball rolling.

The first day was fun,
nothing too intense. Though, there was a cliff jump about 17 feet high which
got your blood pumping. That night we danced to Nepali music (similar to India)
and enjoyed the evening. Day two was going to be a big one! Other rafters
joined so now there were two rafts: one with Suzie, me, and guides and one
filled with middle aged men. We started higher than normal so I got a little
nervous! At least Suzie and I were as safe as possible. I don’t know how much
could go wrong with 2 novice rafters placed with 4 guide rafters and the
leader. When the man in charged yelled for us to go right, hot damn did we turn
right! We completed a few class V rapids that were extremely technical. My
favorite rapids were called Frog in the Blinder and the Gerbil. We have now
rafted the 7th best river in the world and didn’t even get stuck
once (thanks to the guides)!

We have done the flight. We have seen the highest point in the world. It's
quite an achievement, and still I want to see more. The flight was beautiful
and the Himalayas are breathtaking. The mountains are so rigid and harsh. The
flight showed the difficulty of even hiking to the base camp. Everest is not
just the tallest mountain, but it is also surrounded by sky high mountains.
Talk about a ruff trek! Most of the Himalayas are over 27,000 feet tall!

On our flight, Everest was a faraway mountain
blanketed by a light cloud. Though, it didn't completely give me the
realization I wanted. It didn't strike me with its power and strength. Everest
is not very jagged, and since it’s so deep in the mountain range, it doesn’t
look like the tallest peak. It’s difficult to imagine that people have died
trying to climb it. Maybe I’ll be taken back by its presents if I see it
closer. I guess I'll have to wait until next time I'm in Nepal! At least I got
to see it once, even if it was far away! : )

Monday, April 21, 2014

After a 28 hour flight, all Suzie and I wanted to do was sleep. We booked a
guesthouse and crashed! Later we met up with our soon-to-be couchsurfing host
to take a walk around the town. We explored the night market and drank tea
overlooking Durbar Square. The hustle and bustle under us was like a stream of
cars and motorbikes with people swimming upstream. The streets are chaotic, and
I'm surprised there's not more accidents. It isn’t because they drive fast, but
there are no sidewalks, the alleys wind and turn, and you must swerve around
the random cows moseying down the street.

Talking to Harri, our host, we learned some insider info on the culture. It
doesn't surprise me, but I didn't expect the Indian influence. There are
multiple Hindu festivals and celebrations each month. The city closes down
around 10 pm, but unlike Myanmar, it doesn't wake up especially early. The food
is a mix between Indian and Chinese. Since there was a revolution only 8 years
ago, things are changing dramatically. The infrastructure is improving and more
roads are being paved than ever before. Though, this does not mean Google maps is
accurate. When following Google’s most direct route from Monkey Temple
(Swayambhunath) to home, the road disappeared into dirt and rock piles. After
cutting through an abandon parking lot and a hole in the fence, we were back on
route only to find out the road turned into stairs. Now it makes complete sense
as to why the taxi took a roundabout way to get to the temple!

The next day, Suzie and I explored Boudhha. This is the biggest stupa for….
The prayer flags strung from the peak in every direction was gorgeous! Shops
and restaurants surrounded the square. As we were told, this was the most
expensive area in all of Kathmandu! A short 30 minute walk away was
Pashupatinath Temple. This is where the holy river flows into the city and has
become the location for cremations. How far upstream the body is cremated
depends on the class of the family. It once was segregated by occupation, but
now is based on price. Bodies are being burned all the time. We witness two
during the two hours we were there.

The best part of Kathmandu, other than shopping for scarves, was our
sleeping arrangement. Suzie and I laid our heads down under a sleeping bag and
numerous blankets on the roof of an apartment building! Yes, we slept outside
every night and woke up by the sun every morning if the dogs and roosters
didn't wake us up first. It's crazy how you can be in the middle of the tourist
center and still feel like your camping. This is a once and a lifetime
opportunity and we have to thank Harri for making it possible!

Wow, does time fly! We have already traveled through Myanmar and are about
to go to Nepal. My friends I'm meeting in Zambia are leaving in a few day so I can
join them in two weeks. As I reflect, I am defiantly reminded to live in the
moment. Take in each breath, live each sunset, and be present no matter what
you're doing. Often times we get distracted by technology. Nowadays you look
around and all you see is people texting, talking on the phone, or checking
Facebook. It's kind of nice having a useless phone aside from when I have WiFi.
Another distraction I find so often is a camera. If you're obsessed with
finding the perfect shot, you won't even remember the moment. Yes, it is good
to have photos to show others and to remind yourself of the moments, but you
have to find the balance between being behind the lens and seeing it with your
own eye. If you don't stop and look around, you're going to wake up one day and
wonder where you're life went. Do what you enjoy and surround yourself with
people you love. Sometimes it's as easy as that to make your life better.

We have made two more people addicted to Zilch: Anaïs and
Benjamin, the French couple. They joined us for drinks the night we got back
from our trek. We ended up drinking the first draft beer we’ve had since we
started traveling and played Zilch until about 10:30. Well, I guess that’s late
for Myanmar. We were the only people in the streets and when we got to our
hotel, the doors were locked and the gate was shut! Thankfully, we saw a little
bell which summoned a boy to rescue us. That night was the best night of sleep
I’ve had!

Sadly a bit of Cindy became installed in me and
by 6 am I was up! Rise and shine, it’s bacon time! We spent the whole day with
Anaïs and Benjamin. It started with biking an hour to the hot springs which
turned out to be a hot tub with a $10 entrance fee. Scratch that! Then we took
a boat (with our bikes and all) to see the jumping cat monastery which no longer
has jumping cats! By this time we only had a few hours before our bus left, so
no time for the winery. We had our last drinks with our new friends before
heading for the bus. As per usual, the pickup van was late. We picked up
numerous more people and headed out of town. Are we going to drive the whole
way there in this minivan?!? After half an hour of worrying, we rolled into the
bus station and boarded the bus. We laid our plastic bags down on the seat (to
prevent bug bites), and here comes another long night!

Friday, April 11, 2014

Hellooooo from the rooftop patio at the Richland Hotel in
Inle Lake! We made it!!! We’ve trekked from Kalaw to Inle (with a little help
from a truck). Normally the root takes three days and two nights. Our schedule didn’t
allow that much time so we signed up for the two day trek and drove the first
part. Thinking back on it, thank god we didn’t do the three day because I’m
sore just from the two day!

We trekked through rolling hills filled with chili, ginger,
and potatoes plantations with a few rice patties thrown in there. At one point
we were on a single track following a farmer and his cows! We passed through
many villages with little kids coming out of houses, barns, and behind trees
just to wave “Ming-la-ba” (Hello).

Since our cook’s tire popped in route to the first day’s
lunch, and therefore lunch took 3 hours instead of 1, the last part of our trek
was in the dark. We arrived at the farmer’s house around 7pm. Once again, the
guests, us Westerners, ate in one room while the family and guide ate in
another. I’m curious about the dinner guest customs because twice now the
family has eaten separately from the guests. By 9 pm Suzie, the French couple,
and myself were playing dice while everyone else was asleep. Clearly we had no
idea we’d be up before dawn to finish the hike. Sure enough breakfast was on
the table by 6 am and we started the hike groggy and far before my sleepy eyes
woke up.

The temperature varies tremendously here. At night you’re in
jeans with a light jacket and by mid-day all you want to do is swim in a cool
lake. So it was probably a good idea to hike before it starts getting hot
around 9am. As per usual, we were a little late and got to Richland sound 5 pm.
A nice, clean bed in our own room has never felt so good!

Kalaw is a little town and that’s about it. The main
attraction is the trekking. You can hike around Kalaw or to Inle Lake which is
our plan! We’re doing a two day, one night trek to Inlet Lake tomorrow. I’m
very excited!

While we were in Kalaw, we figured we’d check out the town
and explore the cave. The guesthouse receptionist told us the cave was just a
cave so we didn’t have to worry about showing our shoulders or knees. Suzie and
I roll up with knees out and shoulders for all to see when, in fact, the cave
is a pagoda. So, we asked the nearby store if she had anything to cover us, but
she had nothing. We started our sad walk back to the hotel until we saw a
fabric store a few minutes later. Here goes nothing, we’ll give it a shot! With
some hand gestures, a few English words, and many laughs we finally got our
story across and walked out with skirts made of large pieces of fabric and a shawl.
Boy did they laugh hard at us! We got to see the cave shrines for Buddha which
was cool solely because it was defiantly unique, but still nothing to write
home about.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Suzie and I were invited to a Burmese family dinner. We had
no idea what to expect or what to bring or what not to bring. Thankfully our
tour guide told us no one brings flowers unless it’s for a girlfriend and even
that is not very common. Scratch that idea! So, we brought drinks instead and a
little desert. We sat at the table to find there were only two placesettings!
Hmmmmm are we eating with the family?? I guess the family had already eaten, or
so they said, and it was only the son that was going to join us. At least we
had one family member joining us! The plates came out full of rice. Holy cow!
How are Suzie and I going to eat all this rice?!? The food was delicious. We
had red curry, sweet and sour soup with quail eggs, duck egg salad, and
cauliflower. I noticed the boy only really used the broth from the soup and the
red curry with rice. I don’t know if that was personal preference or he wanted
to save the meat and veggies for the rest of his family. Throughout dinner, the
family members came and went as if eating in the kitchen. I don’t know if this
was a cultural difference or what, but I just let it happen. Half a plate of
rice down and I couldn’t go any further. I wanted to, but I was stuffed to the
rim! Desert was mini bananas which looked so good, but soooo bad because I was
so full!

After dinner we played go fish with cards. I never realized
how hard it is to explain a game to people who aren’t fluent in English. Though,
the kids caught on quick so afterwards we played a dice game. Before we headed
out, we got a family portrait which I hope to send them later. There address was
very different from ours. It described where the house was in relation to a
restaurant and included a phone number. We gave them our information and I
would love to stay in contact with the family. They are such amazing people. I
hugged the mother which I quickly found out was not a part of the culture but
she embrace it, and shook the fathers hand. They seemed so appreciative for our
presents which was exactly how we felt as well.

Today we explored Bagan! We started at 8:30am with a guide
recommended by our new Burmese family friends. Our guide was very bright, spoke
good English, and was extremely nice. You can tell being a tour guide is a
fairly profitable business because our guide had a bigger motorbike and a nice
purse. Normally a day guide cost about $35. I don’t know what percentage she
receives after her company takes their portion and I’m sure the government does
as well. Today hopefully was under the table so she could keep it all.

We started the tour at Shwezigon Pagoda, then Ananda Temple,
Thatbyinnyu Temple, Shwesandaw Pagoda, and ended on Dhammayangyi Pahto. Each of
these are very famous. Shwezigon Pagoda is a good one to start at because it’s
on the far north side of town. Ananda Temple is known for its beauty.
Thatbyinnyu Temple is the tallest while Dhammayangyi Pahto is the largest. Lastly,
Shwesandaw Pagoda is one of two pagodas left which you can actually climb to
the top. The view was nothing I’ve ever seen before. Began is defiantly a world
beauty. There are 3,122 temples, pagodas, stupas, and monasteries. Some are
made of brick, some sandstone, some are painted, and others are left raw. There
was period of time when Burma was wealthy and had a good economy. During this
time, every king had a temple or pagoda made for him, even if he was a bad king
(Dhammayangyi Pahto for example). In addition to these structures, most common
people built little structures before they passed away. Before the earthquake
in mid to late 20th century, there were over 4,000 structures!
Throughout the tour we learned facts, history, and religion behind these
structures. There are three main kinds of religious structures. You can walk
inside temples, you cannot go inside pagodas, but there are exterior stairs
which you can climb, and stupas you cannot go inside or climb on the outside.

We also briefly spoke with our guide about the
government. Myanmar had gone through many governmental changes. Before WW II,
the British ruled the country. After they were granted freedom, the government
turned into a monarchy and King’s rule was law. Then the military took control.
In 2011 A president was elected. This president still has many militaristic
views but is much better than when the military controlled. School have now
become public, people have more rights, and tourism has greatly increased. Even
with all of the reform, you must realize there are still many parts of the
country that tourists are not allowed. Crossing the border by land is possible,
but difficult. There are numerous military check points, the roads are bad, and
at some crossings, you cannot legally go any further than the border town.
There is still internal fighting between villages. We spoke with some traveler
who were motobiking around the country. They were still in a “tourist safe
zone” and were mistakenly shot at by a nearby village. Thankfully they were not
hit, but defiantly hightailed their way out of there! Problems between Muslims
and Buddhists also exists. Over the last decade many Muslims have been killed
or run out of the country. Even with all the problems, the people are still
some of the nicest people I’ve met.The
next election will be in 2015, and hopefully it will help the country continue
to move forward.

Today we hopped off the night bus bright and early in Bagan.
At the crack of dawn we were searching for a guesthouse in a horse-pulled buggy…
am I still dreaming??? During the search we met a couple heading to Mount Popa
for the morning so we tagged along. First stop was a sugarplum whiskey distillery
(hut) on the side of the road. It was surprisingly tasty! Next, we were off to
the Nat (spirit) temple on top of Mount Popa. Shoes were forbidden for the 777
stair trek to the top. The temple was covered with monkeys! Some big, some
small, and some mothers with a child attached to their stomach. At the top,
there was a beautiful view of the plains and surrounding temples. So, to sum it
up, the view was greenish brown speckled with gold temples.

The craziest and most memorable part of this journey was the
Burmese people. Of course I was constantly catching people staring, but I also
caught a few people secretly taking photos. The brave ones would ask to take
photos with us. This turned from one photo with the whole family to individual
shots with every family member. As I approached the last stair to the top of
the temple, I saw a family picnicking. When their eyes met mine, they lit up.
Then, when they saw Suzie walking behind me, their faces got even brighter.
With no time to spare, they dropped everything and were asking for a photo. It
was funny how the first photo was of Suzie and I standing close, but not
touching the Burmese women, but ny the last photo the women were holding on to
our arm with both hands.

Around noon, we headed back for lunch and nap time. Later, Suzie
and I caught sunset at Htilominlo Temple. We were let by a little girl, her
brother, and sister to a small monetary just outside the main temple. We were
the only ones present for the sunset. The locals were quite talkative and very
curious about us. By the end of the sunset we were all good friends. They
showed us a good place to eat, but we had to follow at a distance because of
the police. If you don’t have a tourist guide license, then you’re not allowed
to show people around. I think it’s because tourist guides pay a percentage to
the government, and so they don’t want people making money under the table. You
must remember it wasn’t long ago when the military ruled the country. At the
restaurant, our new friends ordered for us in Burmese. We tried to convince
them to sit with us, but they continued to make excuses. I think it was because
of the police. After dinner, the girl found us and asked us to come back to
their place. At their house there was two plates set. Suzie and I sat down and
shortly after they brought us ginger salad and fried broad beans with a Coke
and a Fanta. They whole family was so nice, friendly and welcoming. They loved
asking us questions about our life. Tomorrow we have dinner plans at their
house. I’ll post on how it goes : )

Our Myanmar experience started with the taxi ride from the
airport to our hostel. Half way through, we made a turn and I could see the
Shwedagon Pagoda. Omg it was beautiful! It was only 9:30 at night, but everyone
was in their homes so the only thing lit was the pagoda. Never will I forget
that sight!

If the average person in Myanmar had a camera, there would
be thousands of photos of me. Constantly Suzie and I get stared at and the occasionally
wave. The first day in Myanmar we took a three hour train ride around Yangon.
It was very interesting to see the difference between the city and the
outskirts. People pointed, waved, and stared at the sight of two westerners,
one blonde and one tall. Even with the curious stares, the people are lovely. They
continue to awe me with their niceness, friendliness, and desire to talk to you.
At one point a stranger on the train saw an unintentional worried look on my
face and asked if everything was ok. That would never happen on the subway in
New York. Despite what everyone has said about this costly country, the food is
ridiculously cheap. For dinner Suzie and I ordered chicken. We got a small
plate of curry chicken followed by two plates of rice, soup, a potatoes dish,
spicy salsa, and greens. I was a little worried about the cost since we
unintentionally got so many dishes. When the bill came it, it consisted of one
beer and one rice (all side dishes included). Traditional Burmese food is a
small portion of meat with numerous side dishes. The beer cost just as much as
all the food, a whopping $1.50! Now we’re on a night bus to Bagon, see you in
the morning!

When we arrived in Myanmar, it was like taking a step back
in time. This country is not use to tourists and is not as developed as the
rest of Southeast Asia. It is a very funny country. I have a feeling that the
way things are done have changed many times. For example, they drive on the
right side of the road, but the steering wheel is on the right as well. It’s
very odd to see the driver on the outer side of the car. None of the taxis have
meters so you have to know how far your destination is or the going rate. Food
is extremely cheap, but lodging is fairly expensive. We had to pay $25 for a
room which was very basic and a little dirty. In Thailand or Vietnam, you’d be
living like a king for that price! Let’s just reminded you that in Change Mai,
Suzie and I paid $2.60 for a bed in a four person room. We would never pay more
than $10 for a private room and bathroom. Also, it’s very difficult to book
anything online. Wait to book until you get there. There are a few guesthouses
and hostels on hostelworld.com, and the three or so that are on there are
either booked or very expensive.

Another funny thing is the time zone. They are half an hour
off Bangkok time, but in the wrong direction. The clothing is very different.
The shape of the clothes are very square. Both men and women wear skirts that
look like a colorful (green or blue plaid for men), ankle length rectangles. I
guess they are cool, comfortable, easy, and most importantly, cheap.

I think the people are the most amazing part of the country.
They are so nice and friendly. Without even asking, they will offer their help.
They people are so nice to tourist, but when I asked a taxi driver and he said
they don’t want the tourist and the tourists don’t help the economy very much. I
wonder if that opinion is true for most locals.

Pai is AMAZING!!! I love this little town. It reminds me a lot
of steamboat. Pai is a little hippie town three hours northwest of Chiang Mai. Suzie
and I finally found a place to relax and hang out. We spent four nights here and
would have spent more if we didn’t already book a flight to Myanmar.

On the first day, we spent the morning catching up with our
blogs, uploading photos, and so on. In the afternoon, we decided to explore
elephant riding. An hour later, we were both on the back of an elephant heading
towards the river to play in the water. If you think mechanical bull riding is
hard, try riding an elephant! The guides were tricksters and would give the
elephants commands in Thai and three seconds later we would be in the water.
The guides loved putting us on the elephant’s neck, and telling the elephant to
try to shake us off. Wow, what a work out trying to stay on! At one point,
Suzie and I were sitting on the elephant’s head only be shot backwards, over
the elephant’s body, into the water. Sadly, play time came to an end and we had
to ride our elephant back to camp so he could go into the mountains for the
night. Suzie and I spent a little extra money, but went to the happiest
elephants in Pai. The owner wants to start an elephant sanctuary because wild
elephants are so rare. So, it’s nice to know our money went to a good cause : )

The next day was another lazy day. We hung around town and
rented bicycles. I had been wanting to go fishing so we started the trek to the
fishing resort. Right from the start, I regretted our decision. The whole ride
was a gradual uphill. We continued for about 5 km before we decided to throw in
the rag. Tomorrow we will rent a motorbike and explore it that way! On our way
back to town, we didn’t have to peddle once (thankfully!) Almost back, we
stumbled upon a gym and decided to try it out. So, we’re waking up bright and early
the next day for… MUAY THAI!

Muay Thai is a greeeeat work out! We started at 8 learning
technique, and then had some contact practice with the owner. After some
stretching and abs, Suzie and I were ready to fall over by 11. The rest of the
afternoon we went fishing and to a waterfall (this time with a motorbike). Out
of the five of us fishing, I was one of the lucky two who caught something! I also
discovered a great technique. I cast my line, napped for about half an hour and
when I woke up… taDA there was a fish on my line! How long the fish had been on
there, I have no idea, but he was defiantly hooked when I pulled him out. Before
heading back, we went to the waterfall. It had a natural slide that we slid down
into a murky pool. Weeeeee!

When we biked into town, there was something ere about it.
No traffic lights were working and all the 7-11’s were closed. We asked around
and heard that there was an accident near Chiang Mai that took out a power line
pole. All the electricity in the town was out for the night! This means no
internet, no lights, no water, and only gas cooked food. We quickly bought some
bottles of water and got a candle from our guesthouse reception. I think
tonight is going to be a quiet one! The night consisted of a candlelit yoga
session and hanging out in our hut. Tomorrow we’re starting the trek back to
Bangkok. We don’t know exactly how we’ll get there, but we have to be in
Bangkok the night of the 20th to catch a flight to Myanmar!